How to Draw a Site Plan for a Residential Building Permit in City of Toronto
Ilya Tkachov
Updated
If you are applying for a residential building permit in City of Toronto, treat the site plan as a survey-based zoning drawing, not a rough sketch. City of Toronto's small residential project guides ask for a survey or site plan that shows property lines, lot area, rights-of-way and easements referenced to a current survey, existing and proposed buildings, setbacks, zoning information, parking, driveways, landscape treatment, and grade elevations.
This guide explains how to draw a site plan for a residential building permit in City of Toronto for common homeowner projects, including decks, porches, verandas, garages, carports, basement entrances, sheds, cabanas, and other accessory structures.
What is a site plan?
Site plan definition
A site plan is a top-down drawing of the property. For City of Toronto residential permits, it should show the lot, the existing house and structures, the proposed work, the distances to property lines and nearby buildings, and the zoning details reviewers need to check the application.
For a homeowner, a site plan for property answers a practical question: where is the work happening on the lot, and how close is it to everything that matters? A site plan for a residential building permit helps City of Toronto review setbacks, lot coverage, gross floor area, grade, parking, driveway access, landscaping, easements, rights-of-way, and the relationship between buildings.
Because City of Toronto's guides refer to rights-of-way and easements being referenced to a current survey, use a survey, survey copy, or survey-based site plan as the starting point for the final permit drawing.
Common site plan terminology
| Term | Plain-English meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Setbacks | Distances from existing or proposed buildings to property lines and nearby buildings. |  Setback example |
| Existing buildings and structures | The house, detached garage, carport, deck, porch, veranda, driveway, parking area, shed, cabana, or other feature already on the lot. |  Existing structures example |
| Proposed buildings and structures | New work such as a proposed deck, porch, veranda, garage, carport, basement entrance, shed, cabana, or accessory building. |  Proposed structures example |
| Dimensions | Written measurements for the proposed work, existing/proposed buildings, setbacks, parking areas, driveways, and other review items. |  Site plan dimensions example |
| Lot lines or property lines | The legal edges of the lot, usually taken from a survey or survey-based drawing. |  Property line example |
| Easement | A legal right affecting part of the property, such as utility access or another registered interest. City of Toronto asks for easements to be referenced to a current survey. |  Easement example |
| Right-of-way | A legal right for access or use across part of the property. City of Toronto asks for rights-of-way to be referenced to a current survey. |  Right-of-way example |
| Lot grading | Grade elevations and slope information used to confirm height and zoning compliance. |  Lot grading example |
Do you need a site plan?
You usually need a site plan when a City of Toronto residential project changes the outside of the property or creates work with a fixed location on the lot. City of Toronto's small residential project guides list site plan information for garages, carports, decks, porches, verandas, residential basement entrances, sheds, cabanas, and other accessory buildings.
The site plan is especially important when the project affects setbacks, lot coverage, parking, driveway access, hard or soft landscaping, grade, or the distance between buildings. Even if your project seems small, the drawing needs to let the reviewer verify that the proposed work fits within the zoning and building permit requirements.
Create a site plan for free using HomeCat that gets your residential building permit approved in City of Toronto. Get started
Site plan requirements for residential building permits in City of Toronto
A City of Toronto site plan should generally include:
- Survey or site plan showing property lines
- Lot area
- Rights-of-way and easements referenced to a current survey
- Existing and proposed buildings with overall dimensions
- Setback dimensions to property lines
- Setback dimensions or separation distances to adjacent buildings
- Summary of permitted and proposed zoning provisions
- Lot area, building area, gross floor area, coverage, and grade elevations when required
- Dimensioned parking areas
- Driveways used to access parking spaces
- Hard and soft landscape treatments
- Existing accessory structures such as sheds, decks, detached garages, and other features that affect the review
Use the City of Toronto guide for your project type first. If that guide asks for the same site plan information in a slightly different order, follow the guide and make the drawing easy to compare against it.
Garages, carports, sheds, cabanas, and accessory structures
For a garage, carport, shed, cabana, or other residential accessory building, show all existing and proposed buildings on the lot. Add overall dimensions, setbacks to property lines, and the distance between the proposed structure and other buildings on the property.
Also show dimensioned parking areas and the driveway used to access those spaces. Where required, include the zoning summary with lot area, building area or gross floor area, lot coverage, and grade elevations to confirm height.
Decks, porches, and verandas
For a deck, porch, or veranda, show the proposed work on the survey-based site plan with overall dimensions. Add setbacks to property lines and adjacent buildings, and include the existing house, accessory structures, driveways, parking, hard landscaping, soft landscaping, rights-of-way, and easements when they apply.
City of Toronto's deck and porch guidance also points to permitted and proposed zoning provisions, coverage, and grade elevations. Put those items on the plan or in a clear zoning summary beside the plan so the reviewer does not have to infer them.
Residential basement entrances
For a residential basement entrance, use the same survey-based site plan structure. Show the entrance location, property lines, lot area, easements, rights-of-way, existing and proposed buildings, setback dimensions, zoning provisions, grade elevations, parking, driveways, and hard and soft landscape treatment.
Because basement entrances can affect grading, side yards, walkways, and nearby structures, make the location and measurements especially clear.
(With Survey) How to draw a site plan using a current survey for City of Toronto
For the City of Toronto project types covered here, the survey-based method is the right starting point. Online maps can help you think through the project before you apply, but they should not replace the final permit drawing when City of Toronto's guide asks for a current survey reference.
If you do not have a survey, look through your closing documents, ask your lawyer, closing agent, or mortgage company, or submit a City of Toronto building records disclosure request. You can also read our guide for getting a property survey in Ontario before paying for a new survey.
1. Print your survey, and get an extra blank piece of paper
Print the survey at a readable size. If possible, keep the scale intact. Get a blank sheet of paper, tracing paper, or a transparent digital layer if you are working on a tablet.
Do not mark up your only original copy. Work on a copy so you can start over if needed.
Example property survey to use as the base drawing
Blank paper, ruler, and pen for drawing over a survey
2. Place the paper over, and trace important details
Trace the property boundary, street, north arrow, existing house, existing accessory structures, and any survey notes that affect where work can happen.
For a City of Toronto site plan, pay close attention to rights-of-way, easements, setbacks, lot area, parking areas, driveways, and other existing conditions that connect to zoning review. If the project affects grade or height, leave space on the drawing for grade elevations and zoning summary notes.
Survey details traced by hand
3. Draw your proposed structures and add measurements and setbacks
Draw the proposed deck, porch, veranda, garage, carport, basement entrance, shed, cabana, or accessory structure on the survey copy or traced base. Label the work clearly as proposed and write its overall dimensions.
Add setback dimensions from the proposed work to the nearest property lines. Where City of Toronto's guide asks for it, also show the distance between the proposed structure and other buildings on the lot.
For example, if the survey shows the rear wall of the house 9 metres from the rear lot line and you are adding a 3 metre deck, the remaining rear setback is about 6 metres. Write the proposed deck depth and the remaining setback directly on the site plan.
Proposed structures drawn on traced survey
4. Add the zoning, parking, driveway, landscape, and grade details
Finish the site plan by adding the project-specific items City of Toronto asks for. For many small residential projects, that means a permitted and proposed zoning summary, lot area, building area or gross floor area, lot coverage, grade elevations, parking dimensions, driveway access, and hard and soft landscape treatment.
Do not bury these details in loose notes. Put them beside the drawing, in a small table, or directly on the plan where the reviewer can find them quickly.
Create a site plan for free using HomeCat that gets your residential building permit approved in City of Toronto. Get started
Site plan examples for permit for City of Toronto
A strong City of Toronto site plan example looks like a survey-based zoning plan. It should show the property boundaries, existing buildings, proposed work, setbacks, parking, driveway access, landscape areas, rights-of-way, easements, zoning summary, coverage, and grade elevations without making the reviewer hunt through separate pages.
If you are using another City of Toronto drawing as a reference, copy the organization and level of detail, not the sample measurements. Your plan needs to reflect your own lot, survey information, project dimensions, and zoning conditions.
Common site plan mistakes that delay your residential building permit in City of Toronto
Most City of Toronto site plan delays come from missing survey information, missing zoning details, or a drawing that does not connect the proposed work to the rest of the lot.
Not referencing a current survey
City of Toronto's small residential guides refer to rights-of-way and easements being referenced to a current survey. Use survey-based property information for the permit drawing, especially when the project is near a lot line, driveway, parking space, easement, right-of-way, or another building.
Missing zoning summary
Add the permitted and proposed zoning provisions that apply to the project. Where required, include lot area, building area, gross floor area, lot coverage, and grade elevations.
Missing parking and driveway details
For garages, carports, and accessory structures, show dimensioned parking areas and the driveway used to access the parking spaces. If the proposed work changes the driveway, parking layout, or hard landscaping, make that change obvious on the plan.
Missing distances to adjacent buildings
Do not stop at property-line setbacks. City of Toronto's guides also ask for setback dimensions to adjacent buildings. Show the distance between the proposed work and other buildings on the lot when that relationship affects the review.
Treating landscaping and grade as afterthoughts
Hard and soft landscape treatment, coverage, and grade elevations can matter for zoning and height review. Add them when the project guide asks for them instead of waiting for a revision request.
Frequently asked questions about site plans
Can homeowners prepare and submit their own drawings in City of Toronto?
Yes. In Ontario, homeowners can generally prepare drawings for a house they own because the Ontario Building Code exempts design work for "a house owned by the person" from the usual designer qualification requirements under Division C, Article 3.2.5.1.(3)(b)(i). City of Toronto can still require survey-based property information, complete dimensions, zoning summaries, grade elevations, and other permit details.
What if City of Toronto asks me to fill out Schedule 1: Designer Information?
For "Design activities undertaken by individual identified in Section B," select House. In the description, enter the project type, such as "deck," "porch," "garage," "carport," "basement entrance," or "accessory structure."
Under "Declaration of Designer," choose The design work is exempt from the registration and qualification requirements of the Building Code. For "Basis for exemption from registration and qualification," write Homeowner.
Where can I get a legal property survey in City of Toronto?
Start with your closing documents, then ask your real estate lawyer, closing agent, or mortgage company. If those options do not work, submit a building records disclosure request to City of Toronto. City of Toronto keeps survey records indefinitely; they are not destroyed on a routine schedule.
Read our Ontario ultimate guide for getting a property survey before ordering a new survey.
Does my survey need to be recent?
City of Toronto's guides use the wording "current survey," especially for rights-of-way and easements. An older Ontario Land Surveyor survey can still be a useful starting point if it accurately reflects the property, but the permit drawing should show current conditions, including existing structures, driveways, parking, hard and soft landscaping, grade information, and the proposed work.
If the survey does not reflect the lot today, update the site plan information or ask City of Toronto what it will accept before submitting.
Can I use Google Maps for my City of Toronto site plan?
Use Google Maps only for private planning. It can help you think through the project location, but it does not replace a survey-based permit drawing for the City of Toronto residential project guides covered here.
What if City of Toronto rejects my site plan?
Read the review comments and revise the drawing to answer each item. Common fixes include adding the current survey reference, property lines, lot area, easements, rights-of-way, existing and proposed building dimensions, setbacks, zoning summary, parking dimensions, driveway access, landscape treatment, or grade elevations.
When do I need a professional drawing?
You may need professional help when the project is structural, engineered, complex, close to a regulated condition, or when City of Toronto specifically asks for a qualified professional. For the property-location part of the package, start with the survey and the project guide, then make the site plan clear enough for the reviewer to verify the proposed work.
Conclusion
A good beginner site plan does not need to be complicated. It needs to show the property, the existing conditions, the proposed work, and the measurements that matter for your residential building permit in City of Toronto.
Create a site plan for free using HomeCat that gets your residential building permit approved in City of Toronto. Get started